Aroma: “Big time coffee, with strong roast, tobacco, earthiness, and an acidic ashy note. Blindfolded, I might not guess this was a beer by the smell alone. The coffee is accented by a touch of dark cherry and supported by roast and chocolate. Easy to smell, almost as nice as my morning cup o’ joe.”

Flavor: “Smooth cold-pressed coffee or mocha, with a roasted malt flavor that doesn’t fight with the black coffee. It’s well integrated. There is an ashy undertone, with stale coffee, and a touch of acidity that isn’t supported by the base beer. The body is medium but not overly thick—the carbonation is a bit overdone, leaving a slight carbonic bite. Some fruity esters join the malt to assert the beer-ness. Finishes with some tobacco notes and very sweet.”

Overall: “It’s not too bad of a coffee beer, but the overcarbonation and the highly roasted acidity need something beneath to help carry them. Nice big coffee and quite drinkable. The finish is not quite as smooth as the start, but there’s lots of complexity in this beer.”